Paul to Cosponsor Education Bill PDF Print E-mail
FOR RELEASE: June 1, 2000

Paul to Cosponsor Education Bill Public School Construction Partnership Act Will Help District Schools

Surfside, TX - This week, Congressman Ron Paul announced that he will sign on as a cosponsor of Congressman Clay Shaw's "Public School Construction Partnership Act" (HR 2514). After contacting every school superintendent in the 14th District, Paul was convinced this bill would be of great benefit to Texas.
Paul said, "We received input from almost 100 different schools in the district. Practically every superintendent that responded was in favor of this proposal. I believe it will be beneficial to our schools, especially those in rural areas."
The "Public School Construction Partnership Act" consists of four key provisions that will aid communities as they try to cope with the problem of inadequate facilities. The bill:

a) Allows school districts to use public-private partnerships to finance and construct new public schools;
b) Frees school bond issuers from complex, burdensome tax rules;
c) Reduces project costs and permits school bond issuers greater flexibility in borrowing; and
d) Broadens the market for bonds issued by small school districts.

The bill will result in more schools being built and repaired, and it will accelerate construction projects that are on the capital investment plans of some school districts. It also provides state and local governments with a variety of options to choose from for financing school construction. Paul said it would especially benefit his district because of the diversity of schools, ranging from the fast-growing suburban school districts in the hill country, to the small farming communities closer to the coast with outdated facilities.
"Many of the schools I have visited in the hill country are bursting at the seams," said Paul. "So many families are moving into these communities, the schools just can't keep up with the growth. I have also seen many schools in the smaller counties in my district that are in dire need of new facilities. This bill will benefit all of the schools in my district by expanding their options of how to fund new schools. Most important, unlike most education plans that come out of Washington, it leaves the decision making authority with the local school districts."
Paul concluded, "I want to thank all of the school districts that provided me with input so I could make this decision. My staff and I reached out to every school in my district to decide whether or not to support this bill. After considering the advice of almost 100 school districts, I have decided to become a cosponsor of the 'Public School Construction Partnership Act.'"